How to stay in shape - during and after pregnancy

Congratulations!

Probably you are pregnant or recently have been giving birth to your child.

Being pregnant is a wonderful condition, but also a full time occupation.

The time during pregnancy is not similar with the life you lived before. You have to think about what you are eating and when you are eating, how and when you sleep. Symptoms like nausea and back pain may appear...and much more.

Many women think this is a major problem that they can´t lose their unwanted pounds after pregnancy. Keep in mind that weight gain is a natural condition during pregnancy. Being on a diet during pregnancy is not recommended. If you want to take control over your body, keep on reading. There are professional methods that are great!

Normal Weight Gain

If you began pregnancy at a normal weight, you should gain 25 pounds over the nine months. Adding about 300 extra calories a day to your diet will help you reach this goal. (One extra healthy snack, such as four fig bars and a glass of skim milk, will provide these calories.) Most women gain four to six pounds in the first trimester, and then average a pound a week in the second and third trimesters.

If you began pregnancy underweight, you should probably gain a little more. That's because underweight women are more likely to have small babies. A 28- to 40-pound gain is usually recommended, so you should try to gain slightly over a pound a week in the second and third trimesters.

If you began pregnancy overweight, you should gain only 15�pounds. This means you should put on one pound every two weeks in the second and third trimesters. While you don't want to gain too much weight, you should never try to lose weight during pregnancy because that could harm your baby.

What should you eat during pregnancy?

1. Do load up on the "big 5" nutrients: folate, calcium, iron, zinc and fiber.

In the first six weeks of pregnancy, no nutrient is more vital than folate, a B vitamin that can reduce the risk of neural-tube defects, such as spina bifida, by a whopping 50 percent. You can get your daily minimum of 400 micrograms from fruits, vegetables, chicken, fish and fortified grains, but pop a prenatal vitamin for insurance.

Your daily dose of calcium—1,200 milligrams, from low-fat dairy products, dark green vegetables and fortified orange juice and soy products—plays a key role during the second and third trimesters, when your baby's bone and tooth development reaches its peak.

Iron, important for supporting your 50 percent increase in blood volume, is crucial in the third trimester. Aim for 30 mg per day. "Iron is the one nutrient that's difficult to get from the diet, so take an iron supplement or prenatal vitamin with iron," Ricciotti advises. To boost iron absorption, combine iron-rich foods with vitamin C sources.

Your zinc requirement increases by 50 percent to 15 mg per day when you're pregnant. Zinc deficiencies have been linked with birth defects, restricted fetal growth and premature delivery, Ricciotti says. Although nuts, whole grains and legumes are good sources of zinc, the mineral is better absorbed from meat and seafood.

While all these nutrients are essential for your baby's health, fiber (found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains) is essential for yours. Fiber reduces constipation and makes you feel fuller longer; aim for 25 mg to 35 mg a day.

"It's hard to stay hydrated when you're pregnant because a lot of the fluid you drink leaks from your blood vessels into your tissues," Ricciotti explains. Yet hydration is essential for preventing preterm labor; when you're short on fluids, the body makes a hormone that simulates contractions. Staying hydrated also helps prevent headaches, kidney stones, dizziness and pregnancy complaints such as constipation and hemorrhoids. You know you're well hydrated when your urine is light yellow to clear.

3. Do eat a rainbow of foods.

Not only does a varied diet provide you and your baby all the important nutrients, but an eclectic mix also introduces your little munchkin to new tastes via the amniotic fluid. Of course, if bananas and Saltines are the only foods you can stomach in the first trimester, don't stress about it. "But as soon as you start feeling better, aim for more variety," says Orlando, Fla., nutritionist Tara Gidus, M.S., RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association and an expectant mom. Deep-hued fruits and vegetables, such as blueberries, carrots and spinach, tend to be richest in antioxidants.

4. Do limit your exposure to pesticides by choosing organic and locally grown foods when possible.

"The developing immune system is so much more sensitive than the adult's," says Rodney Dietert, Ph.D., professor of immunotoxicology at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, whose research has linked prenatal pesticide exposure to later-in-life immune dysfunctions.

Other research has connected pesticides in the water supply to premature births and possibly birth defects. "We have a lot of evidence now that nitrates [chemicals used in fertilizer] and pesticides have the ability in very small doses to interact with the hormonal milieu of the pregnancy," says Paul Winchester, M.D., a clinical professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Washing your produce helps, Winchester says, but may not be enough. "Eating organic probably does reduce your risk of preterm delivery," he adds.

The types of produce harboring the highest pesticide concentrations tend to be fruits and vegetables with thin skins, such as peaches, apples, bell peppers and strawberries. Also know that foods imported from other countries, such as Mexico or Chile, may contain pesticides that are prohibited in the U.S.

5. Do get your omega-3 fatty acids.

A diet rich in omega-3s can boost your baby's brain and neurological development before birth, likely leading to better vision, memory and language comprehension in early childhood. It also may reduce your risk of postpartum depression. Flaxseed oil, walnuts and omega-3-fortified eggs are good sources of ALA, one of the three omega-3 fats, but fatty fish are the only reliable sources of the two more important omega-3s, EPA and DHA, according to Ricciotti. The National Institutes of Health and the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids recommend that pregnant and nursing women get at least 300 mg of DHA in their daily diet.

The trick is to choose fish that are high in omega-3s but low in mercury, which, in high doses, can harm a fetus's nervous system. Top picks include wild Alaskan salmon (fresh, frozen or canned), Atlantic mackerel, herring, sardines and anchovies. Fish oil supplements are also considered safe.

Pregnancy Without Pounds

Despite the weight gain you can keep your body in good shape. If you are in good shape during pregnancy it is easier to lose weight after child birth. You will suffer less from side affects like back pain, pubic symphysis diastasis, nausea etc. If you want to stay in shape during and after pregnancy you need a method that works well.

Slim Mom Secrets

This method is for new mothers that will need help to get in shape. This method helps you lose pounds rapidly. Read more.

Training Tips

The 3rd section on this site is about training. Maybe you don´t want to use one of the methods above. You can follow easy training tips here.

...and for final

I hope this site could help you take care of your body (and child). Thank you for reading it. I hope that something was useful for you. Good luck with your pregnancy and child. Keep on training!